Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973

[Steve Holmes]

Great stuff Milan, many thanks. Some of those cars were no-shows, including the Nazer Victor, Clyde Collins Cortina. Yes, its the same Grant Aitken.

[Rod Grimwood]

Top article Steve, and yep remember it clearly.

Fullnoise, you know i had a sheltered upbringing and if it was not for me keeping a eye on you lot, imagine the trouble you would have all been in.

What was the 'Oceanside, LOL

No 169 in programme is in my garage.

[Murray Maunder]

Amazing days, huge crowds, fantastic atmosphere. Nice piece of writing Steve and thanks everyone for the terrific photos from this awesome era of saloon racing. And now Grant Aitken races a beautiful Bud Moore replica Boss Mustang! Bringing on back the good times.....

[kiwi285]

Grant is also the proud owner of a Ford GT40 MkII done up in the colours of McLaren and Amon from Le Mans 1966 (black with white stripes). Holman and Moody completed this car for Grant. The car is domiciled at Highlands Park.

[Jac Mac]

[color="#0000CD"]The Grant Aitken escort @ 3500cc would have been the ex Homewood? car, did Grant actually finish/race that car or move it on for the ex Fahey/Collingwood FVA Escort. Given that meeting was at the height of the fuel crisis there were possibly a few scratchings from the entry list. There are 26 entries in the programme plus Fahey as a late, but I count only 19/20 at most in the grid photos[/color]

[BMCBOY]

This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.

[ATTACH]22422[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22421[/ATTACH]

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[John McKechnie]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?

[Frosty5]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?

Decimal point missing there I think John, otherwise she plenty big motor Kimasabe (LOL)

[Jac Mac]

[color="#0000CD"]No decimal point missing- 5845cc would be a very new 351 standard bore & stroke, probably cleveland courtesy of Wanganui Ford Dealer. Now the Amco Escort #40, is that the ex Fahey Escort?[/color]

[John McKechnie]

Frosty- it should read 5845 cc, but maybe it had Dales motors brother in it

[Roger Dowding]

Milan, Steve, and all of you. went to Bay Park in that era, earlier rather than later, 1972/ 73, gave all the programs away,to Rhys Jones, a motorcyle racer wrote the book "Pukekohe the Circuit " in abouit 2007, my old programs were from 1967 to about 1984 from Puke and quite a few from Baypark. Amazing that those huge V8's , could get around the circuit Baypark.

[Steve Holmes]

This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.

[ATTACH]22422[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22421[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22417[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22418[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22419[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]22420[/ATTACH]

Wow, absolutely stunning photos Ross! But that first one of Baker, Moffat, Fahey and Dawson just blows my mind!

[Roger Dowding]

BMC BOY, taking great photos then complete with Chillybin, [an Eski over the ditch ], I was probably there too !!.. 73, driving my second Mini, before entering the Austin Healey clan..

[CUSTAXIE50]

Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?

Bartley built it and said it is still around in a shed,was also raced by Bruce Robertson last time I saw this car the back end was all pushed in.

[Marty]

I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.

[Oldfart]

I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.

That's what it says on the photo if you hover your cursor over it. Ross has done a damned good labelling job. Don't be antsy, it took me a long time to spot that.

[seaqnmac27]

Rhys you could have taken a short cut by referring to the entry list kindly supplied by Milan in post #17.

[Marty]

No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.

[Oldfart]

No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.

They were both great dicers, Peter still is with a bunch of wonderful machinery!

[Steve Holmes]

Re the Escort, I'm glad you guys figured this out. When I first saw that photo I wondered if it was Rod Collingwood with the ex-Fahey car. But obviously not.